VIENNA, 10 October 2003 — Top seeds Roger Federer and Carlos Moya stayed on track for a final showdown at the CA Trophy after reaching the last eight with contrasting victories yesterday.
Defending champion Federer had to grit his teeth to survive a stern test against Slovak qualifier Karol Beck, eventually winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 after bouncing back from a break down in the third set.
“I had problems with his serve and my serve,” Federer said of his seven double faults and low percentage of first serves.
“I couldn’t serve well, didn’t return well and wasn’t happy with my baseline game. I think I was lucky (to win). But my volleys were good. If I hadn’t volleyed so well it would have been a different story out there,” he added.
The victory represents the Wimbledon champion’s 64th this year, making the Swiss the most prolific winner on the ATP Tour this season ahead of US Open champion Andy Roddick. Second seed Moya, who lost to Federer in the semifinals of the indoor event last year, had a much swifter passage into the quarter-finals as he overpowered American Vince Spadea 6-2, 6-1.
With his consistent and strong serving, the Spaniard wrapped up the match in only 52 minutes.
Chasing his fourth title of the year, Moya said he was now a dangerous opponent after his two impressive performances here.
“When I’m serving like I am here then I get a lot of confidence — I can relax at the baseline because I’m getting a lot of free points on my serve,” he said.
The 1998 French Open champion is in top contention for one of the three remaining tickets to the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston, standing in seventh place in the ATP Champions Race with the top eight qualifying for the prestigious tournament.
Federer has already qualified.
Belarus’ Max Mirnyi advanced into the last eight without even picking up his racquet after fifth seed Agustin Calleri of Argentina withdrew with a stomach virus.
Swede Jonas Bjorkman set up a clash with Briton Tim Henman after upsetting eighth seed Albert Costa of Spain 6-3, 6-4.
Clijsters Hammers Hantuchova, Capriati Flops
In Filderstadt, Germany, Kim Clijsters showed she would not surrender her number one ranking easily when she overwhelmed Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the Filderstadt Grand Prix yesterday.
But fourth seed Jennifer Capriati maintained her dismal record at the event when she was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Mary Pierce. The American has now won just three of 10 matches she has played in Filderstadt.
Clijsters, the defending champion, could lose the top spot to fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne if the French and US Open champion were to beat Clijsters in Sunday’s final. But she showed no sign against Hantuchova of the ankle injury that forced her retirement from the semifinals of the Leipzig tournament 10 days ago.
Clijsters was in devastating form, taking just 42 minutes to earn victory and surrendering only four points on serve in the entire match. She swept the last 11 points to claim an embarrassingly easy victory.
Anastasia Myskina is other player weary after winning two titles in the past two weeks and the number eight seed surrendered 6-2, 6-3 to fellow Russian Elena Bovina.
Another Russian, sixth seed Elena Dementieva, advanced when Silvia Farina Elia retired because of a lower back strain with Dementieva leading 6-0, 2-1.
